Bucket List for Mommy Time 2012

I was spending some time on Pinterest and I found this list of things to do with kids. I decided this will be my bucket list for the yer with 2012. Some of these things I have already done with them. Kuddos to me. Many more to do, bring it. As I do the activity with them I will let you know.

Color
Blow Bubbles
Play Hide-and-Seek
Peek-a-Boo
Play Chase
Do Finger-plays
Sing a song
Collect rocks in a basket
Make an obstacle course out of cushions and/or furniture
Make a fort out of cushions and sheets
Go for a Walk
Make a Car out of a Box
Read a book
Go to the park
Finger-paint
Play with Play-Dough
Toss Bean bags into a Bucket
Play the shell and pea game
Dance to music
Download games for toddlers from the Internet
Practice putting things in and taking things out of boxes and bags
Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch
Roll a ball back and forth on the floor
Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket (or use a serving spoon and bowl)
Practice climbing by stacking boxes on top of each other (only with adult supervision)
Put on a puppet show
Go fishing with a yard stick and yarn
Make a Horseshoe game
Make a Shape Puzzle
Play paper basketball
Run through a Sprinkler
Play with a bucket of water and a sponge (PLEASE WATCH CHILD AT ALL TIMES!)
Make a Drum out of an oatmeal box
Play with a kazoo
Wash windows together
Bang on Pots and Pans with a spoon
Brush each other's teeth
Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes
Stack canned or boxed food on top of each other
Let child stack mixing bowls inside each other
Make a playhouse out of a large box
Let child play with a sticker sheet (make sure your child doesn't eat them!)
Put stickers on fingers for finger puppets
Play a musical instrument together- i.e.recorder, piano, etc.
Go on a Smelling Hunt
Frost Cookies
Plant a flower or vegetable plant together
Roll a tennis ball into an empty trash can or bucket
Draw on a mirror with dry-erase markers
Play hide and seek together- trying to find a stuffed animal or other object
Have a splash party together in the bathtub
Put a leash on a stuffed animal and walk around the house
Record each other on a tape recorder (great for scrapbooks or journals!)
Make and try on paper hats
Give a piggy-back ride
Play "Horsey"
Talk into an electric fan (it distorts your voice)
Play tug-of-war with a blanket
Collect flowers (felt, artificial, real...)
Make a camera and go on a Safari
Play games with frozen juice lids
Disconnect your phone and pretend to make phone calls to relatives
Leave your phone connected and really make phone calls to relatives- let your child talk too
String large beads onto or along a shoelace
Squirt each other with squirt bottles
Glue shapes onto paper
Make sock puppets
Make paper puppets
Fill an old purse with toys
Use a paper towel tube as a megaphone
Make binoculars and go "Bird Watching" or "Stuffed Animal Watching"
Put snacks in different fun containers (paper sacks, empty canisters, etc.)
Act out a story from a book
Walk on a balance beam- use a 2x4 placed on the ground
Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk
Paint child's palms with tempura paint and blot on paper. Makes a great card for loved ones!
Put lipstick on child and kiss a mirror
Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it
Let child decorate and eat an open peanut butter sandwich
Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through
Do the Hokey Pokey
Make a super-hero costume out of household items
Do Knee-Bouncing Rhymes
Play "Red Light, Green Light" saying "Go" and "Stop"
Make a shoe-box train for stuffed animals
Make a pillow pile to jump on (keep it clear from any hard surfaces, including walls!)
Make an easy puzzle with felt and Velcro
Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaners and jingle bells
Learn numbers from a deck of cards
Play the matching game with a deck of cards
Make a domino chain
Have a picnic in the park, backyard, or living room!
Play dress up in Mommy or Daddy's clothes
Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it
Make a nature collage
Mirror each other
Make a "Mummy Mommy" with toilet paper
Make a tape recording of short music selections and instructions to move in different ways
Make and walk along a toilet paper trail
TAKE A NAP!

It Is Upon Us

Christmas is upon us our favortie time of year.
Have a Happy Holiday and peace throughout the year.

Those are the lyrics to a song I used to sing in elementary school. And the words ring true. The weather has turned bitter cold and the snow is glowing white. I love the change of attitude that this time of year holds. Yes, life is so busy. Cooking, baking, decorating, caroling, partying, birthdays, it all makes life hectic.

And I love it.

I love that we spend the extra time to remember those whom we love most. I love that everyone goes out of their way to give to those who have nothing. I love sitting in the soft glow of the lights of the Christmas tree, in perfect silence of the snow falling, just to ponder the birth of our Savior. I love it all.

So, even though I am stressed and don't get to everything on my list, deep down inside I am truly happy. I love this time of year. It is magical.

I love all of the traditions. For Thanksgiving we had lunch with the Millers in Cedar. Then we made the trek to Salt Lake to have dinner with my family. Both meals were delicious. Friday morning my mom and I went out Black Friday shopping. We got some great deals, not much traffic or choas while shopping so we had a lot of fun. Saturday we go to the cemetary and decorate the tree near my brother's and great grandmother's sites. Then we all went out for lunch at Hires. Yummy!

So, you might be asking why birthdays made my list of business of the holidays. Well, lets start the beginning of November. Mason, Matthew, Ben, Nate, Matt, Papa, Merica, Grandma Mary, Logan, Dave, Kailey, Alean. Throw in the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, Boxing Day [there is a Canadian in my family so this holiday DOES count], and New Years Eve) and we have more party days than not.

Well, that starts the catch-up of blog writing. Maybe when I have a moment I will dump pictures onto the computer and show you all a few. Until then, remember...
the magic of Christmas is upon us.

Thankful Moment Day 21

I am sure all of you have had those moments when you are laughing about something so stupid, that is really isn't funny but you laugh anyway. I have a lot of those moments with my little sister. She cracks me up! So does my big sister sometimes. I remember when she was in high school (so I was in junior high) we were home and she called us all into the kitchen. She was going off about how we needed to get the house cleaned up before our mom got home. And I quote:

"If we each work for like 5 minutes then it will be so clean. It will be so fun!"

Yeah, right. Cleaning fun? Then it wasn't funny but now we laugh about it all the time. It has become an inside joke for all of us. I am glad to have such wonderful sisters around me.

Thankful Moment Day 20

I used to be a morning person. But now I sleep in until 7:30 as much as possible. I love that most mornings the kids jump in bed with us and we all just sit and snuggle, giggle and have fun. We have been doing this since Spencer was just a few months old. This is one of my favorite traditions. I hope it is one that we keep up until we are old and grey. I want to hear about dates when they are older, school friends, hopes, dreams, etc.

Thankful Moment Day 19

I am so thankful to live in a day where there are so many things that make life easier. Microwave, tv, computer, cell phones. I love to call my parents and let Spencer talk to them. He loves to talk to Nanny and Papa, telling them what he has been up to, to ask them if he can come to their house, etc. He always tells them "I love you." then kisses the phone the acts like he is getting a hug back from them. It is the cutest look. Yep. I love my cell phone and how close it makes Nanny and Papa.

Thankful Moment Day 18

I loved serving in Young Womens for so long. The girls taught me so much. One of my favorite activities throughout my four years was when we took the girls and young men to the temple open house at the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple. While sitting in the Celestial Room I had two girls promise that they would do whatever it takes to get married in the temple. I was so proud of their choice and determination to make such a worthwhile goal. I love my girls!

Thankful Moments Day 17

The other night Mark came home late. The kids and I were playing when he walked in. Katherine immediately squealed "DAD!" and got to him as fast as she could. I am so thankful that my children love their dad so much. Katherine is such a daddy's girl. She will sleep through the night more often when he puts her down at night, she loves to have dad feed her, she loves to have dad tickle her. I love that my kids have such a great relationship with their father.